Glen Scotia whisky – Campbeltown

Glen Scotia distillery information

In the town (and whisky region) of Campelbtown, we find the Glen Scotia distillery. Founded in 1832, by Stewart & Galbraith, and Co, the distillery stayed in their hands for almost 60 years, when it was sold to Duncan MacCallum in 1891. In 1919, ownership transferred to Western Highland Distilleries Ltd in 1919. In 1924 following bankruptcy of the company, it was purchased again by MacCallum. Under his guidance, the distillery added their own malting floor, and underwent some modernization construction. In 1928, the distillery was forced to close, most likely due to MacCallum finding himself in financial trouble. Seeing a substantial sum of his money gone due to a business deal gone wrong, he eventually drowned himself in the Crosshill Loch, an artificial lake created to provide water to the distillery. His ghost is claimed to still roam around the distillery.

MacCallums estate trustees sold the distillery to Bloch Brothers (Distillers) Ltd, a blending company from Glasgow, who had some success with the distillery, though during the Second World War, were forced to close the distillery due to regulations. In 1954, Bloch Brothers was acquired by Hiram Walker. Glen Scotia continued to switch hands in the last half 20th century, and closed again in 1984, and 1994. In 1996, it was put up for sale once more and purchased by Loch Lomond Distillery Co. Production has been stable since then.

Glen Scotia was probably the last distillery using Corton steel washbacks. These have since been replaced with new stainless steel ones.

Glen Scotia whisky

All of Glen Scotias whiskies are bottled at 46% alcohol, are non-chill filtered, and matured in Bourbon casks.